Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane. In some examples, there is a dielectric stack between the first electrode and the second electrode and flexible membrane. The dielectric stack design minimizes drift in the membrane collapse voltage. In other examples, one of the electrodes is in the form of a ring, and a third electrode is provided to occupy the space in the center of the ring. Alternatively, the first and second electrodes are both in the form of a ring and there is a support between the electrodes inside the rings.

Abstract: Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane.

Abstract: Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.

Abstract: A method of producing a flow of a fluid through a passage (24) defined in a rigid frame (22) comprises selectively actuating a flexible membrane (38) disposed across a midpoint of the passage (24) with an actuating system in a manner which produces a wave-like motion in the membrane (38) thereby causing a peristaltic movement of the fluid through the passage (24).

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane. In some examples, there is a dielectric stack between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric stack design minimizes drift in the membrane collapse voltage. In other examples, a voltage supply coupled to an ultrasonic array compressing the CMUT cells is adapted to provide a sequence of voltage profiles to the electrodes of the CMUT cell, wherein each profile includes a bias voltage and a stimulus voltage, and wherein a polarity of each subsequent voltage profile in the sequence is opposite to the polarity of the preceding profile. In another example, there is a capacitance sensing circuit provided, which is arranged to determine a drift voltage of the CMUT cell.

Abstract: A transducer array (10) is disclosed comprising a plurality of CMUT cells (100, 100, 100?), each CMUT cell comprising a first electrode (110) supported by a substrate (101) and a second electrode (120) supported by a membrane suspended over a cavity (105) between the first electrode and the second electrode, the plurality of CMUT cells comprising a first group of CMUT cells (100) each having a membrane comprising a first layer stack (130); and a second group of CMUT cells (100?) each having membrane comprising a second layer stack (130?), the second layer stack including a layer (135) of a material having a higher density than any of the layers in the first layer stack. Also disclosed is a device comprising such a transducer array, an ultrasound imaging system including such a transducer array and a method of operating such an ultrasound imaging system.

Abstract: An acoustic lens suitable for a CMUT array (74) is provided. The acoustic lens comprising: a first layer (47) comprising a thermoset elastomer having a polymeric material selected from hydrocarbons, wherein the first layer has an inner surface (72) arranged to face the array and an outer convex shaped surface (40) arranged to oppose the inner surface; and a second layer (42) coupled to the outer surface of the first layer and comprising thermoplastic polymer polymethylpentene and an elastomer selected from the polyolefin family (POE) blended therein, wherein the outer layer located at the outer surface of the acoustic window layer, wherein the first layer has a first acoustic wave velocity (v1) and the second layer has a second acoustic wave velocity (v2), said second velocity is larger than the first acoustic wave velocity.

Abstract: A substrate table for an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a recess, configured to receive a substrate of a given size, and a fluid extraction system, configured to extract fluid from a gap between the edge of the substrate and the edge of the recess, the fluid extraction system configured such that the rate of flow of fluid extracted from a localized section of the gap is greater than the rate of flow of fluid extracted from another section of the gap.

Abstract: A substrate table for an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a recess, configured to receive a substrate of a given size, and a fluid extraction system, configured to extract fluid from a gap between the edge of the substrate and the edge of the recess, the fluid extraction system configured such that the rate of flow of fluid extracted from a localized section of the gap is greater than the rate of flow of fluid extracted from another section of the gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating a flow of gas comprises a frame having a passage defined therethrough. The passage extends a length along a central longitudinal axis from an inlet to an outlet and has a first side and a second side. A flexible pumping membrane is disposed within the passage. The membrane has a first edge coupled to the first side of the passage at a midline thereof and a second edge, disposed opposite the first edge, coupled to the second side of the passage at a midline thereof. The membrane segregates the frame into an upper portion and a lower portion. The apparatus also includes an actuating system which is structured to selectively move portions of the membrane toward either the upper portion or the lower portion of the frame in a manner which causes a wave-like movement in the pumping membrane and creates the flow of gas.

Abstract: An ultrasound system for an ultrasound therapy (ablation or hyperthermia) of a region of interest comprising: a patch comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers (preferably CMUTs) arranged on a support, wherein a plurality of the transducers is adapted to operate in a variable frequency range; a transducer controller means adopted to activate at least two groups of the plurality of the transducers in the array for a transmission of the ultrasound signals, wherein each of the at least two groups: is arranged in a pattern; and operates at a frequency different from other group's frequency.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasound probe that includes an array of CMUT (capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer) cells. Each cell includes a substrate carrying a first electrode of an electrode arrangement. The substrate is spatially separated from a flexible membrane by a gap. The flexible membrane includes a second electrode of the electrode arrangement. The ultrasound probe also includes an acoustic window over the array of CMUT cells. The ultrasound probe further includes a data storage element accessible to an external control module of the ultrasound probe. The data storage element stores configuration information for configuring an operation of the array of CMUT cells in pre-collapse or collapse mode with the external control module to optimize the effective bandwidth of the array. Also disclosed is a calibration method of the ultrasound probe, an ultrasound system and a method of operating the ultrasound system.

Abstract: Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane. In some examples, there is a dielectric stack between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric stack design minimizes drift in the membrane collapse voltage. In other examples, a voltage supply coupled to an ultrasonic array compressing the CMUT cells is adapted to provide a sequence of voltage profiles to the electrodes of the CMUT cell, wherein each profile includes a bias voltage and a stimulus voltage, and wherein a polarity of each subsequent voltage profile in the sequence is opposite to the polarity of the preceding profile. In another example, there is a capacitance sensing circuit provided, which is arranged to determine a drift voltage of the CMUT cell.

Abstract: A nozzle (12) for an oral irrigator device (10) having a guidance tip (34) with at least one orifice (36) at one end, and a nozzle spacer assembly (58) positioned around the at least one orifice (36). The at least one orifice is configured to expel a fluid as one of a jet, a spray, or any combination thereof. The nozzle spacer assembly (58) comprises at least two pairs of pliable spacers (60) that extend from the surface (35) for ensuring that the area at an entrance of an interproximal space between two teeth are treated, and (ii) establishing an improved angle of impact of the fluid expelled from the orifice.

Abstract: A method (12) of estimating one or more physiological parameters, in particular of a cardiac region, based on medical imaging data. An input time series of three-dimensional medical images is received (14), representative of a cardiac region of a patient. A meshless simulation frame-work is applied (16) for simulating blood flow through at least a portion of the anatomical area captured by the images. The simulation framework comprises in particular simulating force interactions between individual elements of a simulated fluid (representing blood) and individual patches of a tissue structure of the imaged cardiac region. One or more physiological parameters (18) are derived based on the simulated blood flow.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid in a space adjacent to an upper surface of a substrate table and/or a substrate located in a recess of the substrate table, a cover including a planar main body that, in use, extends around a substrate from the upper surface to a peripheral section of an upper major face of the substrate in order to cover a gap between an edge of the recess and an edge of the substrate, and an immersion fluid film disruptor configured to disrupt the formation of a film of immersion fluid between an edge of the cover and immersion fluid contained by the fluid handling structure during movement of the substrate table relative to the fluid handling structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid in a space adjacent to an upper surface of the substrate table and/or a substrate located in a recess of the substrate table, a cover having a planar main body that, in use, extends around a substrate from the upper surface to a peripheral section of an upper major face of the substrate in order to cover a gap between an edge of the recess and an edge of the substrate, and an immersion fluid film disruptor, configured to disrupt the formation of a film of immersion fluid between an edge of the cover and immersion fluid contained by the fluid handling structure during movement of the substrate table relative to the fluid handling structure.